The present invention relates generally to the fabrication of integrated circuits on substrates. More particularly, the invention relates to a low temperature method for producing a low dielectric constant (low xcexa) silicon carbide film utilizing organosilanes under certain process regimes, which is useful as a low xcexa anti-reflective coating.
Consistent and fairly predictable improvement in integrated circuit design and fabrication has been observed in the last decade. One key to successful improvements is the multilevel interconnect technology, which provides the conductive paths between the devices of an integrated circuit (IC) device. The shrinking dimensions of features, presently in the sub-quarter micron and smaller range, such as horizontal interconnects (typically referred to as lines) and vertical interconnects (typically referred to as contacts or vias; contacts extend to a device on the underlying substrate, while vias extend to an underlying metal layer, such as M1 M2, etc.) in very large scale integration (VLSI) and ultra large scale integration (ULSI) technology, has increased the importance of reducing capacitive coupling between interconnect lines in particular. In order to further improve the speed of semiconductor devices on integrated circuits, it has become necessary to use conductive materials having low resistivity and low xcexa (dielectric constant less than 7.0) insulators to reduce the capacitive coupling between adjacent metal lines. The need for low xcexa materials extends to barrier layers, etch stops, and anti-reflective coatings used in photolithography. However, typical barrier layer, etch stop, and anti-reflective coating materials have dielectric constants that are significantly greater than 7.0 that result in a combined insulator that does not significantly reduce the dielectric constant. Thus, better materials are needed for barrier layers, etch stops, and anti-reflective coatings in the low xcexa substrates.
With the change in circuit density, additional process changes are needed. For instance, efforts are being made to improve the photolithography processes for more precise pattern etching. Photolithography is a technique used in making integrated circuits that uses light patterns and typically organic polymers (photoresist materials) to develop fine-scaled patterns on a substrate surface. Photoresist materials typically include, for example, naphthoquinone diazides. In many instances, to properly process the substrate with photolithography and avoid unwanted patterning, the high reflectivity of the layer to be patterned must be ameliorated so light ray reflection is reduced. Reflectivity is usually expressed as a percentage of a known standard, such as bare silicon, having a value of 100%. Extraneous reflections from underlying layers can be reflected to the photoresist and expose the photoresist in undesired areas. Any unwanted exposure can distort the lines, vias, and other features intended to be formed. The reflectivity of damascene structures, discussed below, has increased the need for better photolithography processes.
With multi-layer structures and the increased use of dielectrics, increased reflectivity has contributed to imprecise etching. Dielectric layers are naturally translucent to the ultraviolet light used to expose the photoresist. Thus, multi-level use of dielectrics in the damascene structures results in increased and unwanted reflections. As a result, an anti-reflective coating (ARC) is deposited over the layer to be etched, where the ARC is a thin sacrificial layer that has a lower reflectivity than the underlying layer and is etched by the same or similar chemistries that are used to etch the underlying layer. The ARC reduces or eliminates the extraneous reflections so that improved feature dimensions and accuracy can be more closely spaced, leading to the increased current density desired for ULSI circuits.
ARC materials can be organic or inorganic, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,067, which is incorporated by reference herein. Organic ARCs include spin-on polyimides and polysulfones, among other materials, and are generally more expensive and require more complex processing than inorganic ARCs. Inorganic ARCs include silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, xcex1-carbon, titanium nitride, silicon carbide, and amorphous silicon. Prior to the present invention, inorganic ARCs typically were characterized by a high xcexa value and were not compatible with low xcexa structures. Use of a high xcexa ARC partially negates the advantage of changing to low xcexa materials in that it adds a high xcexa material to a stack of otherwise low xcexa layers. In some applications, the high xcexa ARC can be removed from the substrate, but the removal adds complexity to the processing. Organic ARCs can be used, but they are generally more expensive and require additional processing.
FIG. 1 shows a representation of a substrate with a positive photoresist deposited over a dielectric, as part of the photolithography processing. A positive photoresist develops in the areas exposed to light, whereas a negative photoresist develops in the areas not exposed to light. The integrated circuit 10 includes an underlying substrate 12 having a feature 11, such as a contact, via, line, or trench. In this patent, xe2x80x9csubstratexe2x80x9d is used to indicate an underlying material, and can be used to represent a series of underlying layers below the layer in question, such as a barrier layer. A barrier layer 13 may be deposited over the substrate, followed by a dielectric layer 14. The dielectric layer may be un-doped silicon dioxide also known as un-doped silicon glass (USG), fluorine-doped silicon glass (FSG), or some other low xcexa material. In this example, an ARC 15 is deposited over the dielectric, followed by a photoresist layer 19.
The purpose of the ARC is to reduce or eliminate any reflected light waves, typically, by adjusting three aspects of the ARC materialxe2x80x94a refraction index (n), an absorption index (k, distinguished from the xe2x80x9cxcexaxe2x80x9d of a xe2x80x9clow xcexaxe2x80x9d dielectric), and the thickness (t) of the ARC to create a phase cancellation and absorption of reflected light. Typically, the required n, k, and t values depend on the thickness and properties of the underlying layer and need adjustment for each particular application. A computer simulation program, such as one entitled xe2x80x9cThe Positive/Negative Resist Optical Lithography Modelxe2x80x9d, v. 4.05, simulates the effect on the n, k, and t values and the reflectivity of the particular layers. The results are analyzed and are typically followed by actual testing and reviewing the results through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. A proper combination at the various values of n, k, and t is chosen to reduce the reflected light for that application. Because the values of n, k, and t are dependent on each application and each substrate thickness, the proper selection may be time consuming and onerous. In addition, the selection may be only applicable to narrow thickness ranges of the underlying layers which may cause additional difficulties in the repeatability of the deposition process from substrate to substrate.
FIG. 2 is a schematic of the photolithography process in which a light source 23 emits light, such as ultraviolet light, through a patterned template (mask) 21 that defines the pattern of light that will be projected onto the photoresist layer 19, ultimately resulting in a patterned substrate. The light causes the photoresist in the exposed area 25 to typically change its solubility to organic solvents, for instance, when exposed to violet light. Thus, the exposed areas can be removed by soaking or otherwise cleaning the exposed areas while retaining the unexposed areas.
FIG. 3 is a schematic of the substrate with the feature 27 formed thereon using the etching process. The remainder of the photoresist has been removed, the feature has been etched to the appropriate level, and the substrate is prepared for a subsequent process such as the deposition of a liner, dielectric, conductor, or other layer(s).
Traditional deposition/etch processes for forming interconnects has also been improved with the higher circuit density to obtain more precise pattern etching. Thus, new processes are being developed. For instance, the traditional method of forming the circuit was depositing blanket layers of a conductor, etching the conductor to pattern the features, and then filling the features with dielectric materials. With the emphasis on increased circuit density, the process has been somewhat reversed by depositing dielectric layers, etching the dielectric layers to form the features, and filling the features with conductive material to form the vias, lines, and other features. The current trend is to use a damascene structure. In a dual damascene structure, the dielectric layer is etched to define both the contacts/vias and the interconnect lines in multi-layered substrates. Metal is then inlaid into the defined pattern and any excess metal is removed from the top of the structure in a planarization process, such as chemical mechanical polishing (CMP).
FIG. 4 shows one example of a dual damascene structure. Two predominate schemes currently are used to develop a dual damascene structure, where lines/trenches are filled concurrently with vias/contacts. In a xe2x80x9ccounterborexe2x80x9d scheme, the integrated circuit 10 includes an underlying substrate 12, which may include a series of layers deposited thereon and in which a feature 11 has been formed. A barrier layer 13 may be deposited over the substrate, followed by a dielectric layer 14. A liner 22 may be needed, which typically is Ta, TaN, Ti, TiN, and other materials. The dielectric layer may be un-doped silicon dioxide also known as un-doped silicon glass (USG), fluorine-doped silicon glass (FSG), or some other low xcexa material. A low xcexa etch stop 16, such as xcex1-C, xcex1-FC, parylene, AF4, BCB, PAE, oxynitride or silicon carbide, is then deposited on the dielectric layer 14 to a thickness of about 200 xc3x85 to about 1000 xc3x85. The etch stop material is typically a material that has a slower etching rate compared to the dielectric layer that is etched and allows some flexibility in the etching process in insuring that a predetermined depth is reached. In some well characterized etching processes, the etch stop may be unnecessary. Another dielectric layer 18 is deposited over etch stop 16 to a thickness of about 5,000 xc3x85 to about 10,000 xc3x85. An ARC 15, similar to the ARC 15 of FIG. 1, is deposited on the dielectric layer 18, followed by a photoresist layer (not shown), similar to photoresist layer 19 shown in FIG. 1. The photoresist layer is exposed to form a pattern for the via/contact 20a, using conventional photolithography. The layers are etched using conventional etch processes, such as using fluorine, carbon, and oxygen ions to form the via/contact 20a, and the photoresist layer is removed. Another photoresist layer is deposited and exposed to pattern the line/trench 20b, the layer(s) are etched to form the line/trench 20b, and the photoresist layer is removed. A conductive material 20 is then deposited simultaneously in both the via/contact 20a and the line/trench 20b. Once the conductive material 20 has filled the feature(s), another barrier layer 24 may be deposited to help prevent diffusion of the conductor, such as the copper, for the next series of layers, if applicable.
The other predominate scheme for creating a dual damascene structure is known as a xe2x80x9cself-aligning contactxe2x80x9d (SAC) scheme. The SAC scheme is similar to the counterbore scheme, except that a photoresist layer is deposited over the etch stop 16 prior to the deposition of the dielectric layer 18. The etch stop 16 is etched to form a pattern for a via/contact 20a. The photoresist layer is removed and the dielectric layer 18 and ARC 15 are then deposited over the etch stop, followed by another photoresist layer deposited on the ARC 15. The photoresist is then exposed to form the pattern for the line/trench 20b, the line/trench 20b and the via/contact 20a are etched simultaneously, and the photoresist layer is removed. Conductive material 20, and if desired, another barrier layer 24, are then deposited. These structures are exemplary for a dual damascene structure and others, such as some described below, may be more appropriate for the particular application.
The reflectivity of such multilevel structures as a damascene structure has raised the needed level of performance of ARC materials. Prior to such structures, the layer to be etched was typically above a single metal layer which is not transparent to the light exposure. Thus, the unwanted photoresist exposure from underlying layers was substantially limited to the single metal layer under the photoresist. However, in damascene and other structures, an increased number of layers above the conductor layer are now used with multilevel patterning. The dielectric layer(s) and other layers beside the conductor layer are comparatively transparent to the exposure light and thus more levels of reflections can hinder the photolithography processing of the upper layer. For instance, lines and vias/contacts may appear in the substrate at different levels. Light reflected from the different features at the different levels result in different reflected light patterns back to the photoresist layer and unless corrected may cause the unwanted exposure on the photoresist described above.
Thus, with the decreasing feature sizes, the emphasis on low xcexa stacks, the use of copper, and the complex dual damascene structures, new methods and materials are needed to provide improved ARC characteristics. Silicon nitride and oxynitride have been typical materials used for an ARC, but have a relatively high dielectric constant (dielectric constant greater than 7.0) and may significantly increase the capacitive coupling between interconnect lines. The capacitive coupling may lead to cross talk and/or resistance-capacitance (RC) delay, i.e., the time required to dissipate stored energy, that degrades the overall performance of the device. Additionally, silicon nitride and oxynitride have relatively poor diffusion resistance compared to the material of the present invention.
In searching for new materials, others have recognized some potential in silicon carbide (SiC) for some applications. But to the knowledge of the inventors, no source has adequately sought and developed a suitable ARC, barrier layer, and etch stop, using SiC. Some sources, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,067 to Foote, et al., above, have noted or suggested silicon carbide in some form as an ARC. To the knowledge of the inventors, silicon carbide that has been produced using these traditional methods has not been effective in meeting the new process requirements in low xcexa structures. For instance, the disclosed chemistry of U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,566 to Ogawa, which patent is incorporated herein by reference, uses separate sources of silicon, carbon, and hydrogen. This more traditional approach results in a higher xcexa than is desirable for the low xcexa emphasis of the ULSI efforts, especially in damascene structures. Another example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,491 to Carey, et al., which is also incorporated herein by reference, requires a conversion to a crystalline silicon carbide, denoted as xcex2-SiC.
Another reference referring to SiC is U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,150 to Endo et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, wherein Endo refers to a specific formulation of SixC1-x in which x is a positive number of 0.2 to 0.9 for providing SiC to a substrate surface. Endo provides no disclosure of SiC as a barrier layer, etch stop, or ARC, and the process parameters given in its examples are below the preferred or most preferred parameters of the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,680 to Loboda, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a SiC film in a CVD chamber, but fails to produce the film at low temperatures less than about 600xc2x0 C. Another reference, U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,866 to Bolz, et al., also incorporated herein by reference, uses methane, silane, and phosphine to create a hydrogenated silicon carbide coating for use in the medical field, having an improved compatibility with blood. However, none of these references contain a disclosure for SiC with the following process regimes used as a barrier layer, etch stop, or a low xcexa ARC.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved process using silicon carbide as a low xcexa ARC for ICs, especially in a damascene structure and especially a SiC material that has set values for n, k, and the thickness of the SiC layer without necessitating experimentation for the proper values for each application.
The present invention generally provides a process for depositing silicon carbide using a silane-based material with certain process parameters that is useful for forming a suitable ARC for IC applications. The same material may also be used as a barrier layer and an etch stop, even in complex damascene structures and with high diffusion conductors such as copper. Under certain process parameters, a fixed thickness of the silicon carbide may be used on a variety of thicknesses of underlying layers. The thickness of the silicon carbide ARC is substantially independent of the thickness of the underlying layer for a given reflectivity, in contrast to the typical need for adjustments in the ARC thickness for each underlying layer thickness to maintain a given reflectivity.
A preferred process sequence for forming a silicon carbide anti-reflective coating on a substrate, comprises introducing silicon, carbon, and a noble gas into a reaction zone of a process chamber, initiating a plasma in the reaction zone, reacting the silicon and the carbon in the presence of the plasma to form silicon carbide, and depositing a silicon carbide anti-reflective coating on a substrate in the chamber.
Another aspect of the invention includes a substrate having a silicon carbide anti-reflective coating, comprising a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer deposited on the substrate, and a silicon carbide anti-reflective coating having a dielectric constant of less than about 7.0 and preferably about 6.0 or less.